Lecture 8 and Chapter 3 (pgs 112-123)Lecture 9 and Chapter 8 (pgs 296-324)Lecture 10 and Chapter 8 (pgs 324-336)Lecture 2 and Chapter 1 (pgs 2-18)1. What are the goals of Psychology?- Description: descriptive methods (surveys, naturalistic observations, lab experiemnts, case studies)- Prediction: (correllations)- Application/Control - Explanation (experiments to explain whats going on)2. Understand the distinction between nativism/empiricism (nature/nurture) - I do not expect you to know all of the years that events happened.- Socrates & Plato Nativism (nature): The idea that our thoughts, ideas, and characteristics are inborn (carried in by our genes)- Aristotle Empiricism: Knowledge is gained through experience (senses)Lecture 3 and Chapter 1 (pgs 18-42)1. What is the scientific method? Know the steps involved.*Reducing bias and error 1. Perceive2. Hypothesize3. Test4. Draw conclusions5. Report, Revise, Replicate6. Repeat 2. Know the different types of descriptive research. Descriptive Methods- Naturalistic Observation: (ADV: Researchers get a realistic picture of how behavior occurs b/c they are watching it in its natural setting) (DIS: When animals/people know they are being watched, they won’t behave normally, or person observing is bais)- Laboratory Observation: (ADV: More practical to do experiments, observer has more control) (DIS: Artificial situation = artificial behavior) - Case Studies: (ADV: a lot of deatail on one person is provided) (DIS: researchers can’t really apply the results to similar people)Correlational Research- A measurement of the relationship between 2 variables Experimentation Research- Allows us to manipulate the variable and isolate the cause/effect3. Know what a survey is and what things you need to be careful about when using surveys. What is random sampling and why is it used?Survey: Researchers have the ability to get a tremendous amount of data on a very large group of peopleMust be careful about - Wording effect - wording of statements/questions can affect the outcome 1- Knowledge – must understand all words used in question- Representativeness – need a representative sampleRandom Sampling: Process where each member of a population has an equal chance of being selected, could be picked out of a hat 4. Know what a correlation is. What is the difference between a negative and a positive correlation? What is a scatterplot? What is the relationship between correlation and causation? What is an illusory correlation? Correlation: A measure of the relationship between two or more variables - Positive correlation: 2 variables increase in same direction- Negative correlation 2 variables have an inverse relationship - Illusionary correlation: Superstitions, Stereotypes & Prejudices (perception of a relationship that doesn’t exist) - CORRELATION DOES NOT PROVE CAUSATION (but variables can be related to eachother)- Self esteem could cause depression, depression could cause self esteem…could be a third variablecausing both Scatterplot: An imaginary line on a graph (called a scatterplot) around which data points gather showing the strength of correlation5. How do experiments help researchers isolate cause and effect? What are dependent and independent variables? What is random assignment and why is it important?Experiments: Researchers change in some purposeful way, and if there is a change, or effect, they know what is causing it - Independent Variable: Variable that has manipulated any experiment- Dependent Variable: Response of subjects or results of some actionto see how the independent variable has affected it(Key to an experiment) Random Assignment: Each participant has an equal chance of being assigned to the experiemnetal control group, controls for everything else to be the same besides the thing that is being manipulated 6. Know the 3 measures of central tendency and why one may be better than another (if the data is skewed). Understand the measures of variation (range, standard deviation).3 measures of central tendancy: - Mode-Most frequently occurring score in a distribution (not good representation)- Mean-The arithmetic average of scores in a distribution obtained by adding the scores and then dividing by their number- Median-Middle score in a rank-ordered distribution (good representation) Measures of variation- Range: Difference between the highest and lowest scores in a distribution- Standard deviation: A computed measure of how much scores vary around the mean Lecture 4 and Chapter 2 (pgs 44-65)1. Know the basic anatomy of a neuron: dendrite, soma, axon, myelin sheath. What does each part do?2Neuron: specialized cell in the nervous system that sends & receives messages within that system- Dendrites – part that receives messages from other cells- Soma – attatched to dendrites, contains nucleus & keeps entire cell alive and functioning- Axon – fiber attached to soma, carries messages out to other cells- Myelin Sheath – fatty substances that coat the axon to insulate, protect & speeds up neural message traveling down the axon2. What are the properties of an action potential? - The reversal of electrical charge as the neural message travels down (cell is + on inside, - on the outside) - It either is going to exceed the threshold and happens, or it doesn’t and it doesn’t happen All or None (if it exceeds the threshold neuron will fire) - Same intensity once it exceeds threshold 3. Be able to describe a synapse: axon, dendrites, synaptic cleft, neurotransmitters, receptors.- Synaptic Knob at the end of the axon w/synaptic vesceles - Inside synaptic vesceles are nuerotransmittters (they transmit a message inside neuron)- Next to synaptic vesicle is dendrite - BETWEEN THEM is synapse or synaptic gap- Surface of dendrite contains receptors, allowing certain molecues to fit into it “KEY&LOCK”4. Know what neurotransmitters are and how they allow for signals to be sent between neurons?5. Know the distinction between the central/peripheral, autonomic/somatic and sympathetic/parasympathetic nervous systems.Central Nervous System - Composed of brain & spinal cord Peripheral Nervous System- Communicates with sensory systems and allows bran & spinal cord to control musceles o Somatic Nervous System: Carries messages to voluntary muscles (walking, raising hand in class, smelling a flower, etc.) o Autonomic Nervous System: Controls everything else – organs, glands, involuntary muscles- Sympathetic Division: Reacts
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